The present invention relates to a self-watering dish garden for plants, and relates more particularly to an inexpensive and efficient dish garden which is readily shippable in boxes.
Typical dish gardens today consist of a container usually made of a heavy ceramic material or perhaps a wicker basket with a thick plastic lining. These containers are relatively expensive and contribute to a large percentage of the cost of the dish garden.
Conventional dish gardens are watered from the top, because the nature of the container material, for example, ceramic or wicker basket lined with plastic, does not lend itself to bottom watering. There are many plants species, for example, African violets, in which bottom watering is greatly preferred. Top watering tends to result in overwatering of the plant, whereas bottom watering, if done properly, tends to provide sufficient moisture to the plant without the adverse effects of overwatering.
Another problem with conventional dish gardens and potted plants in general is the maintenance required. Generally, plants are watered periodically which means that one must be aware of when the plant was last watered and how much water the plant or plants require. Another problem with conventional dish gardens is that they are frequently assembled or arranged on site, and are transportable only with great care, for example, by hand-carrying. Conventionally arranged dish gardens are not adaptable to being shipped in boxes.
As is apparent from the foregoing, the problems of dish gardens relating to cost, bottom watering, ease of watering maintenance, and transportability, prior to the present invention, have not been solved. These problems, in turn, have led and can lead to both grower and customer dissatisfaction with dish gardens heretofore available.